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Friday, September 07, 2007

Overcoming Friday 5

Today's Friday 5: on overcoming

again from Sally, who blogs:

I am preparing this Friday 5 just before I take Chris into hospital for a cardioversion, right now we are all a little apprehensive. But this whole thing has got me thinking, so many of us are overcomers in one way or anoither, so many have amazing stories to tell of God's faithfulness in adversity. And so I bring you this Friday 5.

1. Have you experienced God's faithfulness at a difficult time? Tell as much or as little as you like...
Oh, yes—would that I'd someday learn I'm not in control! I'd really like to say lots, but it's already past 8:30 in Paradise and I want to get this posted.

2. Have you experienced a dark night of the soul, if so what brought you through?
Time, trust, intuition, insight, scriptures and sacraments.

3. Share a Bible verse, song, poem that has brought you comfort?
Out of a possible 2342,30498,2903,84.23487, I'll limit myself to just two today:

Shout to the Lord, by Darlene Zschech

My Jesus, my Savior, Lord there is none like You.
All of my days, I want to praise
The wonders of Your mighty love.
My comfort, my shelter, tower of refuge and strength,
Let every breath, all that I am
Never cease to worship You.
Shout to the Lord, all the earth let us sing:
Power and majesty, praise to the King.
Mountains bow down and the seas will roar
At the sound of Your name.
I sing for joy at the work of Your hands
Forever I'll love You, forever I'll stand.
Nothing compares to the promise I have in You.

by Luise Henriette of Brandenburg, Jesus, meine Zuversicht, 1649, set to music by Johann Crüger in 1653; I'll cite three of the ten stanzas of Catherine Winkworth's translation I found on cyberhymnal:

Jesus Christ, my sure Defense
And my Savior, ever liveth;
Knowing this, my confidence
Rests upon the hope it giveth
Though the night of death be fraught
Still with many an anxious thought.

Nay, too closely I am bound
Unto Him by hope forever;
Faith’s strong hand the Rock hath found,
Grasped it, and will leave it never;
Even death now cannot part
From its Lord the trusting heart.

4. Is "why suffering" a valid question?
Not only is it a valid question—Martin Luther cites suffering and persecution (even!) as one of the marks of the true church. No time this morning to answer this exam question more fully, but thanks anyway, Sally.

5. And on a lighter note- you have reached the end of a dark and difficult time - how are you going to celebrate?
Great food, no calories or decadence barred, new or new-to-me clothes—funky, fancy or formal, maybe a special furnishing or artifact to display in my home, its secret celebratory meaning known and understood only by me—but this current, surprisingly long long, dark and difficult time hasn't even threatened to end yet, so I do those things anyway.

Bonus- anything you wish to add....
a) Prayers arising for you and Chris

b) from Revelation 2, to the angel of the church in Pergamum

2:17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.

"A sacrament is an outward sign by which the Lord seals to our consciences the promises of his good will toward us in order to sustain the weakness of our faith." Calvin, Institutes 4.14.1 Yes, the sacraments especially are sustaining in our darkest times. Thank you for reminding me of that.

I wanted to let you know that the Sept. 29 liturgy is off, since "Phoebe" decided she wasn't ready to move forward with diaconal ordination. I am sorry we won't get a ftf then and hope we can before too long. If nothing else, I'll be in San Diego for the American Academy of Religion meeting in November.

Peace and blessings as you continue your own winding path of ministry...quite an adventure God gives us, isn't it?

Thanks, Laura--and after pasting whatever translation I'd copied, I realized I needed to do my own version with more inclusive language, but I'm so whatever at the moment and several folks already had visited so despite being compulsive about so much, I wisely allowed it to remain as I'd posted it. I'm not sure what's going on with me, but November probably will be fine, since I've at least verbally committed to develop and teach an Advent series for both the PCUSA and ELCA. Thanks for visiting--Be Blessed!